Image Processing Method Using Candidate Color Weights

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Ink screens, commonly used in e-books and e-paper, can only display a limited range of colors, making it challenging to effectively display color images.

Innovation Solution

A method for processing images that converts color images into target images using a limited set of candidate colors by determining weights for these colors based on their proximity in the HSV color space, and then applying error diffusion to improve visual quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If color images are displayed using a limited set of candidate colors, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but the color representation accuracy and visual quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor display complexityVSAvoidcolor representation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The color space is segmented into multiple candidate colors (e.g., red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta, white, black) that are pre-defined and stored. Instead of handling continuous color values, the system divides the color representation into discrete segments, simplifying the display device structure while maintaining color representation capability through weighted combination of these segmented colors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the color representation from continuous RGB values to discrete candidate color weights. By changing the parameter space from continuous color values to weighted combinations of discrete candidate colors, the system reduces device complexity while preserving color accuracy through mathematical optimization of weight coefficients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If color images are converted to a limited color palette, then the data processing and storage requirements are reduced, but the color fidelity and visual quality worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata volumeVSAvoidcolor fidelity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of storing or transmitting full-color image data, the patent creates a simplified copy representation using only candidate color weights. The original color information is copied and approximated through linear combination of candidate colors, reducing data volume while maintaining acceptable visual fidelity through error diffusion techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces candidate color weights as an intermediary layer between the original color image and the final display. These weights act as mediators that transform continuous color information into discrete representable forms, preserving color relationships while reducing data requirements through the intermediate calculation step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If error diffusion is applied to improve visual quality, then the color representation accuracy improves, but the processing time and computational complexity worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor representation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary calculations by pre-defining candidate colors and their relationships in the color space. Error diffusion parameters and weight optimization algorithms are prepared in advance, allowing the actual image processing to utilize these pre-computed resources and reduce real-time computational burden while maintaining color accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4002341B1Method for processing image, and storage medium and device thereof
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP4002341B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4002341B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4002341B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~5B

AI summary

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for processing an image. The method comprises: determining weights corresponding to candidate colors for a target color based on an original color of a pixel in the image; selecting a target color of the pixel from the candidate colors based on the weights; and converting the original color of the pixel into the target color to obtain a target image. According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by determining the weights of the candidate colors, the image can be converted into the target image comprising only the candidate colors, thereby using a limited number of candidate colors to represent the target image.